Lands CS Jacob Kaimenyi addressing journalists outside the Thika lands registry after making an impromptu visit on Wednesday. [Photo/ thikatowntoday.co.ke]
Lands Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi has expressed displeasure with poor records management at the Thika lands registry.Kaimenyi said lack of a proper record-keeping system will lead to loss of files and time wastage.Speaking to journalists after making an impromptu visit to the Thika offices on Wednesday, Kaimenyi said he was shocked to discover that officers at the registry lacked some of the vital documents required for them to do their job effectively.“Every land registry must have copies of policies, recent land laws which include the Land Laws Amendment Act and Community Land Act,” said Kaimenyi.The visit, which caught the staff unawares, exposed the failings at the registry with members of the public accusing the office of poor service delivery.Kaimenyi said his visit was necessitated by a series of complaints related to fraud at the registry especially on matters concerning land registration and transactions.To address some of these failures, Kaimenyi said the government was in the process of digitising all operations at the Ministry of Lands at a cost of Sh17 billion in order to improve service delivery and wade off brokers.“The digitisation of all land registries in Kenya will minimise face-to-face interactions which will go a long way in fighting cartels and brokers who have been having field days at these registries," he added.The digital process, he said, would enable Kenyans to make land rent payments, apply for titles and application for valuations and processing online.He also noted that the ministry will also introduce a Biometric Access Control Card to confine registry staff at their workstations and restrain them from interfering with operations of other departments.He revealed that the Ministry was aware that the Thika Lands Registry, one of the busiest in Central Kenya, has been infiltrated by fraudsters and cartels who have been working in cahoots with some lands officers to deny landowners access to essential services and documents.